This invention relates to the art of thermal recording films for use in thermal image recording and a method of the thermal image recording using said films.
Thermal recording film in which a thermal recording layer is formed on the film base as a support is commonly used to record the images produced in diagnosis by ultrasonic scanning. This recording method, commonly referred to as thermal image recording, eliminates the need for wet processing and offers several advantages including convenience in handling. Hence, the use of the thermal image recording system is not limited to small-scale applications such as diagnosis by ultrasonic scanning and an extension to those areas of medical diagnoses such as MRI and X-ray photography where large and high-quality images are required, is under review.
As is well known, thermal image recording involves the use of a thermal head having a glaze in which heating elements for heating a thermal recording film to record an image are arranged in one direction and, with the glaze in contact with the thermal recording film (thermal recording layer), the two members are moved relative to each other in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the heating elements are arranged, as the respective heating elements are heated imagewise in accordance with the image to be recorded to heat the thermal recording layer, thereby accomplishing image reproduction.
Thus, in the process of thermal image recording, the thermal head in contact with the thermal film is moved relative to the latter such that the thermal recording layer is heated to effect image recording. In addition, it is not uncommon that the temperature of the thermal head (its glaze) becomes as high as 200.degree. C. and above even in the normal image recording mode. Therefore, many abrasions are formed on the thermal recording layer in the thermal film or sheet on account of sliding with the thermal head and, in an extreme case, such abrasions can interfere with the correct viewing of image.
As a further problem, the luster of the thermal recording layer and, hence, the image recording surface cannot be adjusted appropriately and the uncontrolled luster of the image recording surface can be another cause of interference with the correct viewing of image.
Such abrasion and unnecessary luster not only result in the deterioration of the quality of finished images; they can also cause a serious problem in medical areas by leading to a wrong diagnosis.